Sunday Gospel Reflection (07/15/18)

Gospel – Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them,

Reflection on the Gospel

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.

Jesus began to send out the Twelve in pairs, and he works amazing things through these apostles, a word that means “those who are sent.” The Twelve are given authority over unclean spirits, they drive out demons, and they cure the sick. Jesus continues this ministry of mercy today through the bishops and the Church’s sacramental ministers. Brothers and Lasallians are called to assist in this ministry by helping make fertile the hearts of the young.

Jesus’ admonition to the Twelve to “shake the dust from their feet” when their presence or message is not welcome, can apply to Brothers and Lasallian colleagues by way of analogy. When students are unreceptive to our implicit or explicit proclamation of Christ, or if they are simply unwelcoming to our sound counsel, we need not fret. Such rejection can be a good reminder that it is the Holy Spirit who converts hearts and that we are but catalysts (important and precious nonetheless) in the work of the Spirit.

St. La Salle wrote many beautiful sentiments about relying on the Holy Spirit in his Explanation for the Method of Interior Prayer. The following is an adaptation of one of them: Come Holy Spirit and take possession of my heart. Inspire all my actions so that it may be said that it is you, rather than I, who cause them. May I experience neither life, movement, nor action except inasmuch as you give them to me. Happy will I be if I live and act but only by the Spirit of God!

May we foster an attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit can use us to bring young people to Christ.